


Ambrosia

by Angelwithwingsoffire



Series: 30 Days of Writing [9]
Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Florist Derek, M/M, Tattoo Artist Stiles Stilinski
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-09
Updated: 2015-02-09
Packaged: 2018-03-11 09:55:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3323165
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Angelwithwingsoffire/pseuds/Angelwithwingsoffire
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Stiles is a very successful and talented tattoo artist with a shop next door to Hale's Flowers, a flower shop run by a broody, dark-haired, green-eyed florist. The two have been silently crushing on each other for months and now it's up to Laura to force her little brother to make a move and actually talk to his crush.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Ambrosia

Everyone in the world is born with the first words their soulmate will every say to them on their body somewhere and Stiles always thought his quote was hilarious. Write across his forearm were the words “I like your tattoos.” He’d known since he knew what a tattoo was that he was going to get ink. He was destined to. So he did. Of course now that he’s covered his arms and scattered ink across his chest, back, and legs, his soulmate’s words come out of a lot of people’s mouths. But that’s alright. He still loves it. In fact, he loves ink so much, he decided to use his artistic skill he got from his mother to design tattoos and ink them onto others’ bodies. He’s tattooed all sorts of things, each with their own meanings and stories. He’s tattooed planes, buses, coffee cups, wallets, all sorts of little everyday objects under, above, or around soulmate quotes. But today is the first time Scott is allowing Stiles to put ink on him and Stiles is very excited.

“I can’t believe my best friend is getting his first tattoo!” Stiles crowed happily.

“Please stop.” Scott begged.

“Let him.” Allison smiled. “He’s been waiting for this for years.”

“He’s going to jab a needle into my flesh a bajillion times and he’s bouncing off the walls. I’d rather him not screw up.”

“You know I’m the best.” Stiles scolded Scott. “There’s a reason I made you agree that all your tattoos are mine to do.”

“I know that.” Scott sighed. “But I’m trying not to panic so shut up and let me freak out now before you starting needling me.”

Stiles grinned. “Well get it out fast because I’m nearly done getting ready.”

Scott’s pace went pale.

Allison squeezed his shoulder. “Don’t forget, I got the pen for you.”

Scott groaned. “Shut up. I know you’re tougher than me. I accepted that when I asked you out in high school.”

Allison grinned.

“You two are adorable.” Stiles declared, dropping onto his stool. “You set bro?”

“Yea.” Scott nodded, watching Stiles smile and start preparing his arm for the tattoo.

“Speaking of adorable, how’s your florist?” Allison smirked.

Stiles groaned. “Why did I allow you here?”

“Because he’d pass out otherwise.”

“Right.” Stiles sighed. “And he’s not _my_ florist.”

“You wish he was.” Scott whispered, trying to ignore the pain.

“Don’t upset me while I’m stabbing you with a needle.” Stiles told him.

Allison laughed. “Have you even talked to him yet?”

“No.” Stiles said shortly. “And can we not talk about this right now? I need to concentrate on not screwing this up.”

Allison sighed but fell silent. Stiles was safe for now, but he knew it wouldn’t last long. However he didn’t have time to worry about it so he just centered himself and fell into his job, etching a bow and arrow into his best friend’s arm.

*

 “Derek what are you doing?”

Derek looked up from his arrangements to see his sister in the doorway to his shop. “Working. What do you want?”

“Not with the flowers dumbass.” Laura sighed, coming in and hopping up on the counter next to Derek’s work. “With that cute tattoo boy next door.”

“There is nothing to do.” Derek told her.

“So you still haven’t asked him out?”

“Why would I? He’s not interested.” Derek sighed. “He doesn’t even know my name Laura.”

“He knows it’s Hale.”

“That’s the name of the shop Laura. He’d have to be an idiot to not connect ‘Hale’s Flowers’ to my name.”

“Well you should talk to him.” Laura declared. “You’ve been pining for months. Make a move already!”

“I can’t just ask him out! We’ve never spoken before! Asking him out before I even know his name would be kinda stalkerish!”

Laura sighed. “Fine. Then you can come with me to get my tattoo tomorrow and meet him. And then you can ask him out.”

Derek’s eyes widened. “Oh hell no.”

“Why not?! This is a perfect opportunity to meet him!”

“Last time I went to a tattoo shop with you, I ended up with a triskelion on my back!”

Laura grinned. “I promise not to force a tattoo onto you. But you are coming.”

“I hate you.”

“No you don’t.” Laura laughed. “And my appointments at noon so be ready to go.”

Derek glared at her.

Laura just laughed again, kissed her brother’s cheek, and skipped from the shop.

Derek hated his sister. But he had to admit, he was kind of looking forward to actually talking to the man who has been the center of his dreams for a while now.

*

“Hello?” Laura called as they entered the tattoo shop.

“Be right with you!” A male voice called back.

Derek felt his heart skip a beat. That voice was beautiful.

Laura smirked at her brother. His surprise must have been on his face. He quickly got it under control before the tattoo artist appeared, sticking just his head from behind the divider between the front and the back of the shop. Derek’s heart skipped another few beats at the sight of him. He had longish, messy hair spiked up above his head that looked so soft Derek wanted to run his fingers through it, his whiskey eyes were bright, sparkling, and happy, and he was absent mindedly fiddling with the loop pierced in his bottom lip. He looked fucking gorgeous.

“Hey Laura.” The man smiled. “Be with you in a second.”

Laura grinned. “No rush Stiles.”

“Stiles?” Derek whispered when the man vanished.

“His _name_.”

Derek’s eyes widened. “You knew his name?!”

“Of course. You tend to learn someone’s name when you meet to discuss permanent ink being etched into your skin.”

Derek glared at Laura.

“Oh shut up.” Laura rolled her eyes. “Stop looking so grumpy before you chase him off. First impressions last the longest little bro.”

Derek glared at her for a moment longer before schooling his expression. He hated his sister for not telling him Stiles’s name, but she had a point. Just as he calmed down, the man, Stiles, came out.

“Sorry about that.” Stiles grinned. “Scott was here this morning and knocked one of the ink bottles over. I was just finishing getting it cleaned up.”

Derek was speechless. Not only was Stiles’s voice and face beautiful, his tattoos were as well. He was wearing worn-out jeans and a tight, white tank that left his arms bare and none of his abs up to the imagination. Derek could even see the outlines of tattoos through the shirt. And all of them were gorgeous. There were vines and lightening and spirals covering his arms. There were runes and symbols that Derek didn’t recognize, but Derek did want to get to know each and every one of the tattoos and run his tongue over them all.

“It’s alright.” Laura grinned, obviously seeing her brother’s reaction. “We aren’t in a rush.”

“Who’s this?” Stiles asked.

“This is my brother, Derek.” Laura introduced. “He runs the flower shop next door so I forced him to come along.”

Stiles smiled at him and Derek wanted to kiss him. “I like your tattoos.” Derek whispered.

Stiles grinned. “I like them too.”

Derek ignored the seize in his heart when he heard the words written under his long-sleeved shirt. Plenty of people have said that about flowers. It doesn’t mean anything.

*

“I like your tattoos.” Derek whispered.

Stiles grinned. “I like them too.” Stiles wanted to punch himself for how stupid he sounded. But that’s what he said to everyone who introduced themselves by saying that they liked their tattoos. But never more had he wanted someone who said that to be the soulmate to match the tattoo on his arm. This was the florist. This was the guy that he’s been pining over for months and he’s right here, right in front of him, _in his fucking shop_. Stiles was trying very hard not to panic. He needed to calm down or he was going to mess up Laura’s tattoo and he had a perfect record that he was not about to let some handsome, dark-haired, green-eyed, absolutely perfect-looking modern Adonis mess up. Even if all Stiles really want to do was kiss him senseless.

“So we can do payment now or once we’re finished.” Stiles told Laura, resolving to do his job and then go into the back room and jack off with the new knowledge of what the florist’s name is.

“We can do it now.” Laura smiled. “I might not be able to sign the receipt otherwise.”

Stiles laughed. “Alrighty. So you’re getting a forearm tat with intricate detail and words but you’re a friend so you get discount and it comes to…” He tapped some keys on the computer. “$200.”

Laura reached into her purse and pulled a credit card. “Thanks. But you don’t have to give me the discount.”

Stiles shrugged with a smile. “Lydia would kill me if I didn’t.”

Stiles spotted a stiffen in Derek but ignored it as he took Laura’s card and swiped it. “Sign the pad, I’ll get you your receipt, and then we can go on back and get started.”

Laura grinned, signing her name. She looked at Derek. “You’re coming back with us.”

Derek just rolled his eyes and nodded.

“Good to go?” Stiles asked Laura.

“Let’s do this thing.” Laura declared.

*

Derek was mesmerized. Watching Stiles tattoo his sister’s flesh was for more amazing than he ever thought tattooing could be. Stiles was hunched over and eyes were focused and every movement he made was careful and slow to make sure he got the tattoo exactly like the drawing. He looked gorgeous. Derek let his eyes roam up and down Stiles’s arm, taking in every detail he could about the tattoos that covered them so he could imagine them up again later. His heart clenched when he saw the tattoo on the inside of Stiles’s left arm as he twisted it to wipe ink and blood from Laura’s skin. It was a beautiful orchid drawn in full color on Stiles’s skin with a banner underneath that read _Love you forever – C_. There was someone else. Of course there was. Of course Stiles had to have a girlfriend. The most amazing guys are always taken.

Laura squeezed his hand and he realized he’d been squeezing hers too tightly during his realization. “You okay?” She asked, sounding like she was teasing but Derek knew she was serious.

Derek nodded.

“You can leave if you need to.” Laura whispered.

Derek nodded. “I’m going out front.” Derek let go of his sister and hurried from the room. When he got out front he saw the couch against the wall and sat down. He dropped his head into his hands and groaned. “I’m an idiot.” He whispered to himself. “A fucking idiot.”

*

After Stiles finished with Laura and ran through the tattoo care, something she didn’t really need as she had other tattoos but he had to do by law, they both went out front to find Derek curled up on the couch, fast asleep.

“Idiot.” Laura muttered, smiling fondly.

“Your brother’s not half bad you know.” Stiles said. “I don’t know why you complain about him so much all the time.”

“He’s fine.” Laura told him. “It’s this stupid crush he’s had on a guy forever that he keeps talking about all the time that gets annoying.”

Stiles’s heart clenched. Of course Derek liked someone. Stiles has never had luck getting with guys he likes, why should that change now. “Well I hope for your sake he gets better soon.”

Laura smiled. “Thanks. Although I have a feeling it might get better soon.”

Stiles gave a forced smile. “Well good luck to him as well then.”

“Thanks.” Laura smirked. “I’ll get him out of your hair now.”

“Much appreciated. I’ve got another client coming in ten minutes for a back tattoo.”

*

“What’s wrong?” Laura demanded when she and Derek got in the car. Derek had just closed the shop for the day instead of going back to work after the tattoo shop so she was driving him home.

“Nothing.” Derek answered.

“Derek James Hale what the fuck is wrong?” Laura snarled.

“You know him! You’re dating Lydia and it was obvious he knows her as he gave you the friend discount because of her! You’re friends with him and you didn’t think to tell me his fucking name! Or bother even thinking about mentioning his fucking girlfriend!”

Laura’s eyes went wide. “I didn’t want to mess you up in case you wanted to make a move like a normal person. And Stiles doesn’t have a girlfriend!”

“Really?! Then what the fuck was the love declaration on his arm?!”

Laura groaned and pulled over, putting the car in park before turning to her brother. “Stiles Stilinski is a single, gay man.” She told him, anger clear in steady voice. “The flower and quote on his arm is the first tattoo he ever got. He got it when he was seventeen. Two years after his mom died of cancer. The tattoo is an orchid, his mother’s favorite flower, and the quote thing is the last thing Claudia was able to write to her son before the cancer made it impossible for her to write without pain. She couldn’t even bare to write her whole name. Stiles got it tattooed on his skin so he would never forget her. Or how much she loved him. He. Does. Not. Have. A. Girlfriend.”

Derek’s face went red. “He doesn’t?”

“No. He’s single as fuck and complains about it all the time.” Laura told him. “And as for Lydia, yes, she’s friends with him. But I don’t see him often, that’s why I protested the friends discount. _And_ you’re a fucking idiot.”

Derek was silent. “I fucked up.”

“Yes. You did. And now you need to fix it because I am not dealing with your mopey ass any longer than I absolutely have to.”

*

Stiles stopped in front of his shop door Monday morning. “What the fuck?” He whispered. There was a flower taped to his door. He glanced at the flower shop next door but it was dark inside. There was no one on the street either. Just him and this flower. The flower was violent, a long stem with a bush of bright violet flowers at the end and Stiles found it beautiful. He almost wanted to draw something with it. He pulled it off and turned it over in his hands. It was lush and lovely, obviously only recently cut. He didn’t know what it was, what it meant, or why it was here, but it made him smile. He did resolve himself to ask Lydia about it and find out, but for now he was content to wait.

*

The next day Stiles found another flower on his door. This one was yellow, orange, gold, and a tiny bit of red and Stiles grinned when he saw it. It was a beautiful flower and Stiles was once again hit by the desire to _draw_. He hadn’t felt this way about flowers since the ten year anniversary of his mother’s death when he spent a week drawing nothing but orchids. It was ana amazing feeling to have again.

*

Now Stiles was really getting curious. It was Wednesday morning, he was just arriving at his shop, and there was a third flower on his door. He recognized this one. A red tulip. He didn’t know what it meant but he wanted to know. He also wanted to know who was leaving these flowers for him. He kept a secret hope that it was Derek but after he saw Derek’s repulsion when his sister was getting a tattoo, he didn’t think the florist was very interested in Stiles or his work. But he was still going to hope.

*

On Thursday Stiles found another flower. This time it was a pale pink rose just halfway through its unfurling. It was beautiful. And now Stiles needed to know what these flowers meant. He carefully pulled the rose from the door and went back to his car. He didn’t have any appointments today and he was popular enough to handle missing one day of walk-ins. He needed to see Lydia.

He drove to Lydia’s house and rang the bell, clutching the bag he’d placed all four flowers in. The door was opened by a well-dressed but sleepy-looking Laura Hale.

“Hey there Stiles.”

“Hey Laura. Lyds awake?”

“Yea she’s making pancakes.”

“Can I come in? I need to talk to her.”

“Yea come on in. I was just getting ready for work.”

Stiles smiled as he walked inside and headed for the kitchen. “What’s up Lyds?”

“My record of orgasms in one night.” Lydia said, turning to smirk at him. She wasn’t wearing any pants, just underwear, a bra, and a button-up that was too big for her and Stiles vaguely recognized as one that used to be hanging in his closet.

Stiles rolled his eyes. “When you’re done feeding you and your starving girlfriend I need your help with something.”

“You got it.” Lydia smiled.

An hour later Laura was gone at work and Stiles and Lydia were in Lydia’s bedroom, sitting on the bed together.

“So what do you need from me?” Lydia asked, looking at the bag Stiles still hadn’t let go of.

Stiles hesitated only a little before reaching into the bag and carefully pulling out the four flowers he’d found on his door. They all still looked bright, alive, and healthy due to the plastic holders he’d stuck on the ends to give them water and keep them fresh. “I need to know what they mean.” He whispered.

“Why?” Lydia asked. “Who gave them to you?”

“I don’t know.” Stiles admitted. “They’ve been appearing on the door of the shop every morning all week.”

“Alright.” Lydia asked. “But how is knowing the meaning going to help you know who sent them?”

“It might not.” Stiles shrugged. “But I’d really like to know at least what they mean.”

Lydia sighed. “Okay. Give me a few minutes with the books.”

Stiles waited patiently as Lydia got off the bed and moved to her desk to start tapping away at the keys. He watched with a smile as she looked between the flowers on the bed and the laptop’s screen as she did what she does best and found what Stiles had asked of her.

“Okay.” She said after about ten minutes. “That first one, the one you got Monday, that’s a hyacinth. And the violet ones represent the giver asking the receiver for forgiveness. Whoever’s giving them to you is sorry for something.”

Stiles smiled a little. Maybe it could be Derek.

“The second, the one from Tuesday, that’s a honey flower. It’s meaning is ‘love sweet and secret’.”

Stiles blushed a little.

Lydia smirked at his blush. “The one from yesterday is a red tulip, although I assume you knew that much. Red tulips are for declarations of love. This person really cares about you.”

Stiles blushed a little a harder. “And the fourth?”

“A bridal rose.” Lydia told him. “They mean happy love.” She smiled at Stiles’s bright blush and smiling face. “Do you know who it is?”

“I hope so.” Stiles told her. “Otherwise my plan is going to end very, _very_ , awkwardly.”

*

Derek rubbed his eyes as he got to work. It was the early hours of the morning, long before anyone else gets to work, but he couldn’t sleep so he gave up and came in early. Just like he’d been doing all week to leave the flowers on Stiles’s door. And today he had another one to leave, a hawthorn flower for hope that he’d love him back, but there was already a flower on the door. And it had his name on it.

Derek blushed as he pulled the ambrosia flower of the door and ready the note tied to it with a ribbon.

_Derek. I really hope this is actually you because otherwise this is going to end awkwardly. I know what the flowers mean. One of my best friends translated it for me. She also helped me find this flower to give to you. I’d like to take you to dinner tonight. If you want. You can come inside to talk to me too. I’d actually like to hear your voice. It’s a good voice. Especially when it says the words of my soulmate. I’m rambling now, so I’ll be done. Ambrosia Derek. – Stiles_

Derek stared at the note. Ambrosia. The flower for mutual love. “Holy shit.” He whispered.

“Is that a yes?” He heard to his right.

He turned to see Stiles leaning against the wall of his shop by the alley that separated the tattoo shop from the flower shop.

Stiles smiled. “Is it?” He asked, coming closer.

Derek nodded. “I’d love to go out with you.”

Stiles grinned. “Awesome.”

*

After a very successful date Derek and Stiles were standing outside Derek’s apartment building.

Derek glanced down at his forearm, the words ‘I like them too’ tattooed across it. “I’m going to hope this is you.” He whispered. “Because tonight was a lot of fun.”

Stiles laughed when he saw what Derek was talking about. He showed Derek his forearm and the only blank spot on his arms, directly under the words ‘I like your tattoos’. “I’ve never loved hearing those words come out of someone’s mouth more than when they came out of yours.”

Derek blushed.

“That’s adorable.” Stiles smirked.

Derek blushed harder and pushed him. “Shut up.”

“You know if those weren’t the first words of my soulmate, I probably wouldn’t have all my tattoos.” Stiles told him. “But they were and I am very thankful for that.”

“Well then I’m glad I couldn’t manage to say hello.” Derek smiled.

Stiles smirked. “I just wish one of us hadn’t been as stupid as the other and we could’ve done this a week ago.”

“Well we could’ve. But it didn’t take us as long as Lydia and Laura.”

Stiles laughed. “Both of them have ‘Hello bitch’ on their hips. That’s the funniest thing ever.”

Derek leaned down and pressed his lips against Stiles’s. “Sorry.” He whispered when he pulled away. “I’ve just wanted to kiss that smile for so long, I couldn’t wait any longer.”

Stiles pulled Derek back in and kissed him, harder than Derek had kissed Stiles. “I don’t mind.” He whispered. “In fact, I’d like to have those lips again and again and all over my body.”

Derek smiled. “I’m sure we can make that happen.”

“Fuck yes.” Stiles grinned. “This is gonna be awesome.”

*

Two years later Derek finally let Stiles put ink on him. Stiles had been disappointed when he learned he wouldn’t be Derek’s first artist but he was happy that Derek was letting him do it at all. Stiles already had the tattoo he was giving Derek, one of his tattoo artist friends had done it for him, and now he was copying the same design onto Derek’s arm under the words ‘I like them too.’ And from then on, whenever one of them was missing the other or feeling forgotten, they could just look at their arms and see the symbol they’d chosen as the symbol of their love. A gorgeous, golden, detailed ambrosia flower under the first words they’d ever said to each other. Because their love was mutual and absolute.

**Author's Note:**

> Flowers Used:  
> [Hyacinth](http://www.wholeblossoms.com/images/violet-hyacinth.jpg) \- Asking for forgiveness  
> [Honey Flower](http://th02.deviantart.net/fs31/PRE/f/2008/187/f/e/Honey_Flower_Wallpaper_by_deus_ex_machina.jpg) \- Love sweet and Secret  
> [Red Tulip](http://healthyhomegardening.com/images/MrFlores/smp1070656.jpg) \- Declaration of Love  
> [Bridal Rose](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/77/Bridal_pink_-_morwell_rose_garden_edit.jpg) \- Happy Love  
> [Hawthorn](http://flowerinfo.org/wp-content/gallery/hawthorn-flowers/hawthorn-flower-6.jpg%20) \- Hope  
> [Ambrosia](http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3zfx3cRGKFw/SRJsOh5i2yI/AAAAAAAAAbg/sAZl2WxQiUk/s320/ambrosia_sunday_haus.jpg) \- Mutual Love
> 
> If you want to prompt something for future fics, I'm over on [Tumblr.](http://perfectalphadouchebag.tumblr.com/)


End file.
